PHILADELPHIA, PA — Four non-U.S. citizens residing in Philadelphia have been federally charged with allegedly voting illegally in the 2024 election, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Jamil Ahmad, 50; Nighat Jamil, 47; Hacina Saadi, 48; and Paulo Silva, 54, were each charged by information with voting by an alien.
Federal prosecutors allege each defendant knowingly voted in the 2024 election despite knowing that they were not U.S. citizens. The election included races for president, vice president and presidential electors, according to the charging documents.
Ahmad was a Pakistani citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States at the time of the election, according to federal prosecutors. Jamil is also a Pakistani citizen and lawful permanent U.S. resident.
Prosecutors identified Saadi as a French citizen who is allegedly in the United States illegally. Silva was identified as a Portuguese citizen and lawful permanent U.S. resident.
Federal and Pennsylvania law generally restrict voting in Pennsylvania elections to U.S. citizens.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible penalty of one year in prison, a fine or both, according to federal prosecutors.
Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI investigated the cases.
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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